Corn harvesting apparatus



Sept. 10, 1940. w. E. URscH L 2,214,113 I CORN HARVESTING APPARATUSFiled July 16, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNV ENTOR zdm ATTORNEYJ p 1940- w.E. URSCHEL 2,214,113

CORN HARVESTING APPARATUS Filed July 16, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 gWlNIENTOR. @0 1 /77Z0m ATTORNEYS.

Sept. 10, 1940. w. E. URSCHEL CORN HARVESTING APPARATUS Filed July 16,1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Sept. 10,1940.

W. E. URSCHEL CORN HARVESTING APPARATUS Filed July 16, 1938 4Sheets-Sheet 4 2/ INVENTOR.

we 7 Z aw ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 10, 1940 CORN HARVESTING APPARATUS William E. Urschel,Valparaiso, Ind.

Application July 16, 1938, Serial No. 219,609

12 Claims.

This application is a continuation in part of applicants copendingapplication, Serial No. 15,735, filed April 11, 1935.

The invention relates to corn pickers and huskers. The invention has todo particularly with a type of picker and husker that is drawn alongrows of corn. As it moves along such rows, it separates the ears of cornfrom the stalks and husks the ears, rejecting the stalks and the husks.Heretofore, it has been common practice to pick ears of corn by means ofroughly ribbed or pegged rolls which possess a tendency to shell thekernels from the ears of corn. The ears, therefore, are removed from theribbed or pegged rolls as rapidly as possible.

In the present invention, means are used to separate the ears of cornfrom the stalks without reliance upon a rough contoured surface for theefiicient operation of the apparatus. Rather, dependence is had upon asqueezing and pulling action for stripping the ears from the. stalks. Itis not necessary to transfer the ears of corn immediately from thesqueezing and pulling means. The smooth surface of the squeezing andpulling means and their angular disposition permit the use of a singleunit for snapping the ears from stalksand for husking the separated earswithout danger of undue shelling of the kernels from the ears. Theherein described arrangement permits the elimination of complicatedstructure and drive members for an independent conveying and huskingmeans, making the present machine less cumbersome and of less weightthan earlier machines.

The presently illustrated means are highly effective for handling Weedycorn. Other machines encounter difiiculties in the early morning or indamp weather because weeds found in nearly all corn crops becomeentangled therein. Weeds cannot become entangled in the devices of thepresent apparatus because of their structure and smooth surfaces. Theopposite is true in pickers employing ribbed or pegged rolls to snap theears of corn from the corn stalks.

Weeds, toughened by the dampness, become entwined with the pegs or otherprotuberances on the snapping rolls of conventional machines .until therolls become clogged and choked, rendering them ineffective to such anextent that the rolls must be cleaned before the machine may againoperate efficiently. Weeds cause great annoyance to an operator of sucha machine, and often render it advisable to suspend operations until thefields are dry and hence favorable to a higher operating efliciency forthe machine.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedsimple and efficient machine that may be drawn through a field ofstanding corn and as it goes snap the ears of corn from the stalks of aplurality of adjacent rows of corn simultaneously, leaving the pickedstalks in the field.

Another object of the invention is to provide means to snap corn fromstalks by a set of pinch, bars and to thereafter guide and convey suchcorn rearwardly over the squeezing and pulling devices to removethehusks from the ears and to convey the husked ears toward the rear ofthe machine into a collector or into a Wagon or truck loading conveyorsystem.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel carrier employingthe movement of squeezing and pulling means as a motive force forconveying husked ears along a path in a conveyor that elevates anddeposits such ears in a suitable wagon or truck drawn alongside of themachine or in a suitable receptacle upon the picker itself.

Another object of the invention is the provision of acorn picker andhusker that may be drawn by an ordinary tractor while the power foroperating the several mechanisms of the picker and husker is deriveddirectly from the power shaft of such tractor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel andsimplemechanism for driving gathering chains, squeezing and pulling means, andelevating mechanism, and consisting of a minimum number of Wearingparts.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a simple power takeoii and hitch universally adapted to any common type of farm tractor.

a method for harvesting the stalk,

and husking corn from These objects, and others which will hereinafterappear, are obtained by the novel arrangement, combination andconstruction of elements hereinafter described and claimed. A machineembodying one form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings hereby made a part of this application, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1 on a reducedscale and with various guards and guides and the rear elevator removedto more clearly illustrate various structural features.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the main frame of the machine shown in Fig. 1,but reversed, with the gathering, husking, and elevator units removed.

Fig. 4. is a rear elevation of the main frame of the machine with thehusking units removed.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of one of the devices shown in Figs. 1and 2.

Fig. 6 is a view of one of the squeezing and pulling means and itsbearing heads or blocks, the former being in elevation and the latter insection.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the rear bearing head or block.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the forward bearing head or block.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the holder for the forward head.

Fig. 10 is a front view of the adjustable holder for the forward bearinghead.

Fig. 11 is a perspective of the squeezer or puller member drive and afragment of the rear elevator.

Fig. 12 is a section on line 12-42 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a view of the drive bearing and of the rear elevator, theformer being in elevation and the latter in section.

Fig. 14 is a vertical section of the main drive on line MM in Fig. 1.

Fig. 15 is a perspective of a portion of the husking chamber, partsbeing broken away to illustrate details.

Fig. 16 is an enlarged side elevation of a part of the conveyor.

Like reference characters are used to designate similar parts in thedrawings and in the following description.

Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 illustrate a machine having a main frame disposedupon ground or supporting wheels ii] and II. Uprights l2 and I3 havebearing boxes and an axle M, which is the axle of wheel ll, secured insuch bearing boxes. Uprights 12 and 13 are bolted or otherwise securedto longitudinal frame members l5, l6 and I1. Uprights I3 and 19 arebolted or otherwise secured to longitudinal frame members 2|, 22 and 23respectively and have bearing boxes toreceive an axle 29 on which wheel15 rotates.

Lower rear transverse frame member 24 and like front transverse member25 are secured at their extremities to the longitudinal members l5 and21 in any conventional manner. Corner uprights 26, 27, 28 and 29 aresecured at their lower ends to members 24 and 25 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) andserve as supports for upper transverse members 30 and 3 l. Theextremities of members 30 and 3! are connected by longitudinal membersI5 and 22. Thus a rigid box-like main frame is provided.

Longitudinal members ll, 34, and 35 are secured to lower transversemembers 24 and 25 v and at their ends support parallel downwardlysloping longitudinal members 31, 38, 39 and 40 which they engageintermediate their ends. Members 31, 38, 39 and 40 are also secured attheir upper ends to transverse member 3 I. Members 31, 38, 33 and 40 arereenforced against lateral displacements by angle members 4| and 42.

A transverse bracing member 43 is secured to the lower ends of members38 and 39 to insure rigidity. A transverse member 44 is also secured tomembers 31, 38, 39 and 40 to maintain such members in parallel relation.

Gatherer points 45 are secured to extension brackets 46 by rivets 41 orthe like. Extension brackets 45 are pivotally mounted upon the lowerends of gatherer boards 48 by means of pins 49. The gatherer boards 48are mounted on transverse members 43 and 44. This arrangement permits ofthe points 45 floating over the irregular contour of the surface of theground to pick up any stalks that may be broken or that lie on theground. Guides 50 are riveted or otherwise secured to brackets 43 andguide corn stalks into throats 5| where the stalks are contacted byfingers 52 of gatherer chains 53. The rearmost ends of guides or shoes50 are upwardly flared so that the shoes raise the fallen stalks pickedup by the points 45 and guide such stalks into throats 5!.

The lower ends of chains '53 idle on sprockets 54 secured in anyconventional manner to the lower ends of gatherer boards 48. Gathererchains 53 are driven by sprockets 55 secured to the hubs of bevel gears56 rotatably mounted upon shafts 51. Gatherer chains 53 may be guided inpredetermined paths along the gatherer boards 48 by means of hardwoodguides (not shown) bolted to said boards.

The drives for right and left gatherer chains are alike. Bevel gears 59are pinned to the extremities of transverse shaft (not shown, see Fig.2) suitably journaled in a bracket 58. Upon said unshown shaft is alsomounted, in any conventional manner, a sprocket 69 having a chain 6|thereabout to impart rotative movement to said unshown transverse shaftwhich unshown shaft imparts movement to shaft 5'! by intermediate gears59 and 56 and thus drives the gatherer chains 53. Curved guide plates orsheets 62 and 63 guide corn stalks into a position to be acted upon bygatherer chains 53. Other guides may be attached to guides 62 and 63 inany conventional manner to protect the gatherer drive and to guide theupper ends of the corn into the husking chamber.

Two sets of oppositely and comple'mentally disposed means 65 and 66(Figs. 1, 2 and 15), are used to snap the ears from the stalks. Thearrangement and action of similar bars are described in detail in theUnited States patent to William E. Urschel, Number 1,942,011, grantedJanuary 2, 1934, entitled Mechanical movement, and reissued on October27, 1936 as Reissue Number 20,151.

Any desired type of means may be utilized for accomplishing the resultsand functions of the mechanism I have herein illustrated for the purposeof pulling and squeezing corn stalks in order to strip ears of corntherefrom as well as to husk said ears. In the present invention I haveillustrated elongated members or bars as the preferred form of suchmeans. For purposes of exemplification of the invention but not by wayof limitation, I prefer to utilize the means shown in my hereinbeforementioned patent, however in order to accomplish the adaptation of saidmeans of my former patent to the present invention, I

have modified the same the better to accomplish such purpose. The pinchbars are driven by the rotary movement of an upper bearing head 61. Theyidle in a lower bearing head 68. The arrangement of bars 66 is identicalwith that of bars 65. The lower ends of bars 65 and 66 have extensions69 journaled in bearing heads 68, positioned by shoulders I9, washers IIand nuts I2.

The bearing heads 61 and 68 are supported upon the frame of the machine,as hereinafter described, in such manner that the angle of the commonaxis about which each set of bars 65 and 66 revolves, and the equalangle of inclination of each bar, is not more than about twelve degreeswith the horizontal and not less than about six degrees with thehorizontal. If this angle of said axes is substantially greater thantwelve degrees, the huskers will not be conveyed rearwardly and upwardlyby the bars but, the ears of corn, unless auxiliary and complex meansare provided for deflecting them laterally off the bars onto a conveyordisposed laterally with respect to the bars, will slide downwardly andforwardly of the bars, thereby either clogging the bars and/or thegatherer chains and being deposited on the ground among the stalks andleaves husked therefrom. If the angle is substantially less than sixdegrees itwill become impossible properly to husk the ears of corn fromthe stalk and leaves and the bars will become clogged by said stalks,leaves and ears of corn.

Bearing heads 68 are journaled in semicylindrical retainer members I3and 74 (Figs. 6, 8, 9 and 10), secured together by bolts '55. A grooveif; in head 68, cooperatingwith a rib-16a on the retainers I3 and I4protects the bearing from dirt and also prevents the escape of lubricantwhich is disposed between the head and retaining mem bers. An aperturedlug TI on each retainer f4 associated with the outside pinch bars 65 and66 enables the retainers I3 and I4 to be pivotally connected to abracket I8 (Figs. 2 and 9) by means of a pin 19. Bracket I8 is attachedto frame mem bers 3? and 49 by bolts 89. The retainer I i for eachinside set of pinch bars 65 and 66 is pivotally connected to a bracketBI (Fig. 10) by a pin 82. Bracket BI is pinned to one extremity of ashaft 83 reciprocably mounted in lugs 84 of a lever quadrant 85 one ofwhich is bolted to each extremity of transverse frame member 43.

A hand lever 86 is pivotally mounted on quadrant 85 by a pin 89 andcarries a detent 81 for cooperation with notches 88 in quadrant 85. Apin 99 is secured in shaft 83 and projects through a slot (not shown) inhand lever 86. This arrangement enables hand lever 86 to impart an axialmovement to shaft 83, laterally of the machine, thus providing a lateraladjustment for the forward pinch bar bearing heads.

The rear ends of each of the pinch bars 65 and 66 has an extendedobliquely mounted pin section 92 (Fig. 6) journaled in bearing head 61and positioned by ashoulder 93, a washer 94, and a nut 95. A cap 96 withan extended hub 91 is secured by bolts 98 to head 61. Hub 9! of cap 96is journaled in the lower end of a housing 99, and is secured to thelower end of a drive shaft I99 by a key H, a washer I92, and a nut I93.Shaft I99 is journaled in housing 99.

A hubbed flange I94 (Fig. 12) is keyed to the upper end of shaft I99 bymeans of a key I95, and is held against vertical displacement by awasher I96 and a nut I91. Pins I98, oppositely disposed, are riveted toflange I94, and engage circular apertures H9 in the web of a gear I99.Oppositely disposed bolts III (Fig. 11) secure the web of gear I99 toflange I94. This arrangement permits timing of bars 65 and 66, by simplyremoving gear I99, advancing a companion gear H4, and then replacinggear I99.

The left bearing head 61 (Fig. 11) is secured to the lower end of ashaft I I 2 journaled in a housing I I 3 in the same manner as the rightbearing head 61 is secured to shaft I99, using the same parts ormembers. A gear H4 (Figs. 11 and 13) is pinned to the upper extremity ofshaft I I2 and has a hub I I5 with a serrated face. A sprocket H6 isreciprocably mounted upon shaft I I2 directly above gear H4 and has. ahub I I? having teeth thereon like, and for engaging the teeth on hub II5 of gear H4. A spring H8 is mounted upon shaft H2 and resilientlypresses a collar I I9 against sprocket II6 upon the hub III of sprocketII6. This arrangement forms a slip or safety clutch for the pinch bardrive to release the drive in the event the bars become fouled by stonesor other hard foreign material, The tension of spring IIB may be variedby means of a nut I29.

An extension bracket I2I, integral with housing 99 (Fig. 11), ispivotally mounted upon another extension bracket I22 by means of a pinI23. Extension bracket I22 of housing H3 is secured to frame member 24by bolts I24, thus securing the pinch bar mechanism to the main frame.

A spring I25 (Fig. 11) is mounted upon a bolt I26 one end of which isreciprocably mounted in a lug I2I on housing 99 and the other end ofwhich is mounted in an angle member I28 which is bolted or otherwisesecured to the transverse frame member 24. Bolt I26 is positioned by itshead I29, while a nut I39 and washer I3I on the bolt provide means foradjusting tension in spring I25. taining it in any desired position.

Under the pressure of spring I25, nut I32 exerts a predeterminedpressure upon lug I21 of housing 99 which is pivotally mounted upon thepin I23, thus maintaining pinch bars 65 in adjusted relation with pinchbars 66. If some incompressible object should be drawn between the twosets of pinch bars, however, spring I25 will be compressed and the twosets of bars will be forced apart freeing them from such object withoutinjury to the bars.

members I! and 34, and are reenforced at their lower edges by anglemembers I36 and I3I secured in any conventional manner at their forwardends to the members 31 and 38.

The rear ends of members I36 and I31 are supported by depending membersI38 (Fig. 2) bolted to members I1 and 34 (Fig. 3), respectively. Theside members I33 and I34 of the husking chamber for the left-hand set ofbars 65 and 66 are supported by the longitudinal frame members 35 and36. The lower reenforcing members I36 and I3! are bolted at theirforward ends to the sloping longitudinal frame members 39 and A secondnut locks nut I39, main- 1 There is a husking unit for I and aresupported at their rearward extremities by members like support membersI38 but not shown, attached in any conventional manner to thelongitudinal frame members 35 and 36, respectively.

The presser chain I35, which serves to hold the ears snapped from thestalk in the most favorable position to be husked by the pinch bars 65and 66, consists of a series of links in the nature of flanged plates(Fig. 15) of two difierent lengths, short links I40 and longer links MI.The links are flanged plates and are pivotally connected by pintles I42.

Rods I43 and I44 (Fig. 2) are mounted in the longitudinal frame membersI1 and 34,- and 35 and 36, and pivotally support the extremities of thechain I35 in the husking units, cooperating with pintle holes I45 at theends of each extreme link. Removable weights I41 (Fig. 15) havingcircular apertures at their centers to fit over pins I48 and secured tolinks MI in any conventional manner are provided as a means to vary theweight of chain I35 to meet the requirements of varied huskingconditions.

Notches I49 (Figs. 5 and 6) at the rear end of the parallel portions ofthe pinch bars 65 and 66 render the barsmore effective against thesmooth surface of the husked ears when urging said ears rearwardly.

A conveyor I50 (Fig. 13) is positioned transversely of the frame behindthe discharge end of the two complemental sets of pinch bars to receivethe ears of corn from the bars. Conveyor I50 is of a standard continuouschain and slat type of construction. Slats I5I are riveted to projectinglugs on a detachable link chain I 52. The lower flight of chain I52 issupported by hardwood slide plates I53 (Fig. 13) that are bolted totransverse angle members I54 and I55.

The right-hand extremities of members I 54 and I55 (Fig. 4) are weldedto the lower ends of uprights'l56 and I51 which are secured to theextended portions of main frame members I5 and I6. The left-handportions of members I54 and I55 are elevated and conventionally securedto a longitudinal member I58 bolted to main frame members 24 and 25.Additional rigidity is assured by bolting member I55 to the main framemembers 24 and 30.

The upper flight of conveyor I50 is supported by hardwood slide platesI59 and I60 (Fig. 14) bolted to angle members I6I and I62. Angle membersI6I and I62 are welded at their righthand ends to uprights I56 and I51.The left extremities of members I6I and I62 are supported by uprightsI63 and I64 (Figs. 3 and 4) that are bolted to the elevated ends ofmembers I54 and I55. Sprockets I65 and I66 (Fig. 14) are pinned ,to ashaft I61 journaled in boxes I68 and I69 which are suitably mounted inuprights I63 and I64. Sprockets I65 and I66 drive conveyor I50 throughchains I52. Idler sprockets I10 pinned to suitably journaled shafts I1Iserve to guide chain I52 in a predetermined path.

Side members I54 and I55 (Fig. 13) serve to retain the husked ears inconveyor I50 while a sheet I14 secured to the same members I54 and I55forms the bottom section.

Occasionally a section or corn stalk works its way into conveyor I59. Ifthe stalk section protrudes beyond side members I12 or I13, attached totransverse members I 54 and I55 (Fig.16), a finger I16 riveted to one ofthe slats I5I (Fig. 16) urgessaid stalk against the cutting edge of aknife 114a suitably mounted upon platev I15 secured to side member I12.The pressure of fin ger I16 exerted against the stalk causes theprotruding section of such stalk to be sheared off.

Husked ears carried from the husking chambers by conveyor I50 aredeposited into a standard wagon elevator I11 (Fig. 4) by means of achute I18. The support for the elevator I11 comprises two short rearwarduprights I19 and I (Figs. 3 and 4) and two forward uprights I8I and I82(Fig. 3) bolted to longitudinal frame members 23, I58 and I83.

Transverse support I84 is bolted to the lower ends of members I19, I80,and transverse support I85 to the lower ends of members I8I and I82.Brackets I86 are bolted to members I84 and I85 and have circularapertures to receive pins I81 that are riveted to angle supports I88.Angle supports I83 are conventionally secured to the side members ofelevator I11, thus providing a support for the unit. Braces, not shown,may be used to position elevator I11 rigidly.

A power take oif shaft I89 (Fig. 1) of standard construction and havinga splined female connection (not shown) is adapted to cooperate with amale splined power take off shaft of a tractor by which the device ispulled. A universal joint I99 flexibly connects power take off I89 to ashort drive shaft I9I journaled in bearing boxes I92 and I99 (Fig. 14).Bearing box I92 is mounted upon an upright plate I94 bolted to framemembers 25 and 3!. Bearing box I93 is suitably mounted in a bearingbracket I95 bolted to frame members 23 and I83 One extremity of atransverse shaft I96 is journaled in a box I91 suitably mounted inbracket I95 while the other end of said shaft is journaled in a bracketI98 (Fig. 1) attached to longitudinal members 2I0, 2H and 2I2. A bevelpinion I99 pinned to shaft I9I drives a bevel gear 260 pinned to shaftI96. A gatherer chain drive shaft 28I is driven by shaft I96 throughsprockets 202 on shaft I96 and 263,on shaft 20I and a chain 294 aboutsaid sprockets. Shaft 20I is journaled in boxes 205 and 206 mounted inplates 281 and 208 which are bolted to members 38 and 46. Sprockets 208drive the gatherer chain drive sprockets 60 (Fig. 2) through chain 6I.

The bearing bracket I 98 (Fig. 1) in which shaft I98 is journaled isbolted to longitudinal angle members 216, 2H and 2I2. A bevel gear 2I3is pinned to one end of a. short shaft 2I4 journaled in bracket I93 andis driven by a bevel pinion 2I5 pinned to the end of shaft I96. Asprocket 2I6 is pinned to the other end of shaft 214 and drives thepinch bar drive sprockets H6 through a drive chain 2I1.

A pinion 2I8 also is pinned to shaft I9I (Fig. 14) and drives a spurgear 2I9 pinned to a shaft 220 which is journaled in bearing boxes 22Iand 222. Box 22I is mounted upon upright plate I94 while box 222 ismounted upon a plate 223 which is bolted to frame member 24. A sprocket224 is rotatably mounted upon shaft 220 and is driven by said shaftthrough a safety clutch 225 secured to shaft 220 and has a tooth flangeengaging teeth on the hub of sprocket 224.

When the load on clutch 225 exceeds the normal, the spring in clutch 225is compressed, allowing the clutch teeth to withdraw from engagementwith the teeth in the hub of sprocket 224. This allows the sprocket 224to rotate upon shaft 220, thus protecting the drive from injury. Asprocket 221 pinned to elevator drive shaft 228 is driven by sprocket224 through a chain 226 thus providing means for driving the wagon.elevator I'II.

. A sprocket 229 is rotatably mounted upon a shaft 230 and drives shaft230 through a safety clutch 23]. The action of safety clutch 23I isidentical with that of clutch 225. Power from shaft 220 is transmittedto shaft 230 by the sprockets 228' and 229 and a chain 232. Shaft 230 isjournaled in boxes 233 and 234 mounted upon members I64 and I94. Apinion 235 pinned to shaft 230 drives a spur gear 236 pinned to thedriveshaft I61 ofconveyor I50. .;.\'.A:I.. I8Wbar 231 @Fig. 1). ofstandarddesign, is :conventionally secured, to channeled ;;members .238,and; 239.;bolted to the transverse frame mem- ;bers,:,25 and3l. 1" U, am A tilting-iever 2401s bolted to ananglemember 24I which is secured tothe main frame members I and13I.'-'.A.;detent-atpoint .242 on lever, 240:cooperates witha quadrant 2.43 boltedto drawbar 5.23.1. The'-lever.240serves .to tilt and maintain .g-the;framezof-the. machine at apredetermined .anglewiththe g'roundline. 1v .r 4 1:. As themachine ispulled-by a tractor couped tosydrawbar .23'I.,-.the tractor power take:.off sets .theimechanisnr in motion. through power shaft l89 causingbevl pinion I99 to drive bevel gear @200 and thereby revolving 'shaftIBW'to which sprocket 202 is secured? Sprocket 202 drives -sprocket 203by means of chain 204; The revolu-. -tionA-of-sprockt 203 causes shaft20I torotate and to? revolve sprockets 209 which drive sprockets "60through chains-6t. Bevel 7 pinions 59 which are pin'nedfito the sameshafts upon which sprock sets 60 arenmounted drive bevelgears 56 whose.hubs tare Jin'tegral with those 0f sprockets 55. t llherarrangement ofbevel gears 56 and 53 "is such ithatthe sprockets 55 in revolvingc'ausethe inner "courses of the gatherer chains 53"to' moverearward-ly-and upwardly l a g vAs 'ithe machine advances, stalks orcorn are guided toward' throats I 5;! by "the cooperation of :points '45and guides or curved plates 50. Guides #244 which may be conventionallysecured to ex- 'tension brackets 46 serve to hold the low ears up fromthe surface ofthe pinch bars upon'ent'ering throat 5l 'topreventprushingthe ears. Fingers 52 of the gatherer chains 53 urge the stalksrearwardly until they are well engaged by the squeezing and pullingmeans.

Bevel pinion 2I5, attached to driveshaft I96, drives bevel gear 2I3attached to shaft 2I4, and since sprocket 2 I6 is also pinned to shaft 2I4, the action of bevel gear 2I3 causes it to revolve and impart powerto the pinch bar drive sprockets H6 through chain 2II.

Stalks progressing rearwardly contact pinch bars 65 and 66 and arepulled downwardly between said bars until they are stripped of all ears.Stalks pass through the bars downwardly while the ears that have beensnapped from the stalks are carried rearwardly along the bars to thehusking chamber by the linear movement of succeeding bars as they aremoved by the blocks 61 and 68. Presser chain I holds the snapped earsclose to the surface of the means which engage and strip the husks fromthe ears. Husked ears progress rearwardly and are deposited uponconveyor I50, and the notches I49 are useful in aiding the progress ofthe ears through the machine.

Pinion 2I8 secured to drive shaft I9I drives spur gear 2I9 pinned toshaft 220. Sprocket 228 secured to shaft 220 drives sprocket 229 onshaft 230 by means of chain 232. Pinion 235 also to shaft I61.

secured to shaft 230 drives spur gear 236 pinned Sprockets I65 and I66pinned to shaft I 61 drive the chains I52 of conveyor I50. Chainsprocket 224 on shaft 220 imparts power to the drive shaft of wagonelevator I'I'I.

Husked ears deposited upon conveyor I50 are urged transversely to theleft side of the machine (Fig. 4), then move upwardly, and are depositedin chut'e Ila, which guides them into the Wagon elevator III. ElevatorI'I'I deposits the husked ears in a wagon conventionally attachedalongside the machine, or intcatank or other receptacleon -the machine.is

It will be seen from the foregoing that corn moved will be; causedto.travelin the longitudinal (direction of the set .of pullingand-.squeezing ela ments because of; the i longitudinal gcomponentmovement, of. said members, .at the same time-the members of-1 i the Icooperating I "sets will cause the ears-to tumble .thereon ftoma{CQItaIII-I'QXtGHU, thus aiding .in looseningathes husksi'xwhich .will-'be gripped between the opposing sides of said' sets 1 and stripped ifrom theean passing thence downwardlyfbetween the: sets; 1 zMyinventio'n therefore envisages a new method 0f gathering andhusk ingcorn as. a'continuous process wherein the corn :ears aresqueezedifromlthe stalks which are dis- :charged along/one path Tdownwardly of "the squeezing and pulling elements' while'the' stripped.ears are. delivered; or cOnVeyed upWardIy-and to "the rear ofthem'achineby said elements and are husked' whileib'eing'i-so conveyed."q The invention is hereby claimed as follows engaging members forsnapping {and basking corn and: .mechanism for moving *saia membersi inangular elliptical paths, said members' having 'notches for expeditingthef' mo'vement of ears of corn therealongfi"" 2;: In a corn-picker andhusker; elongated crop engaging members forsnapping and husking corn,and mechanism for moving said members in closed, curvilinear paths, saidmembers having notches for expediting the movement of ears of cornlongitudinally of said members.

3. In a corn picker and husker, elongated crop engaging members forsnapping and husking corn and mechanism for moving said members inangular elliptical paths, said members having means thereon forexpediting the movement of such corn along said members.

4. In a corn picker and husker; elongated crop engaging members forsnapping and husking the corn, and mechanism for moving said members inclosed, curvilinear paths, said members having means thereon forfacilitating the conveyance of the ears of corn along said members.

5. In a corn picking and husking device, husking means comprising twosets of opposed members mounted to describe without rotating opposedangularly elliptical paths, the direction of movement of said membersbeing downward at the adjacent sides of said sets, side members abovesaid opposed members to prevent loss of ears of corn, and means abovesaid members and between said side members to press ears of corn againstsaid members for husking.

. v rallvln a corn picker and husker,elongated crop 6. In a corn pickingand husking device, husk- 7 ing means comprising two sets of opposedmembers, each set of opposed members being mounted for revolution abouta common axis inclined at an angle of within about 6 to 12 degrees,means for revolving said sets of opposed members in opposite directions,the direction oi movement of said members being downward at the adjacentsides of said sets, spaced members above said opposed members forpreventing lateral movement of the ears of corn ofi said opposed membersand means above said opposed members and between said spaced members topress ears of corn against the opposed members for husking thereby.

7. In a corn picking and husking device, guides wardly along saidguides, pinch bars below said gatherer chains and extending upwardly and'backwardly from said gatherer chains, said. bars each being inclined atan angle of within about 6 to 12 degrees to the horizontal, saidgatherer chains moving stalks of corn from said throat between saidpinch bars, and means for moving said pinch bars to pull'the stalks andthe husks downwardly while obstructing the downward passage of the earsof corn on such stalks to snapthe ears from the stalks and the husks andto cause the husked ears to be conveyed backwardly by said pinch bars.

8. A corn picker and husker comprising a vehicle adapted to be movedrelatively to the corn stalks, opposed picking and husking members onsaid vehicle and inclined at an angle of within about 6 to 12 degrees tothe horizontal, means to guide stalks of corn between said opposedmembers, and means to move said members relatively toward and from eachother for separating the ears of corn from the stalks and husks and forcausing the ears to be conveyed toward the rear of the vehicleindependently of the stalks and husks.

9. A corn picker and husker comprising opposed series of elongatedmembers, means to guide stalks of corn between said members and means tomove said members relatively in a manner to 'means for holding the earsof corn to be thus husked against said members during the huskingoperation.

10. A corn picker and husker comprising a series of members in opposedrelation, means for moving said members in opposed elliptical paths,

the members in each series traveling in a common path, means to guidestalks of corn bearing ears of corn thereon between said opposed seriesof members and means whereby upon movement of said members the ears willbe separated from the stalks and will be deposited on said mem bers, andmeans to hold said ears of corn against said members whereby to causesaid members to pull the husks from said ears.

11 In a corn picker and husker, elongated crop engaging members forsnapping and husk- 3 ing the corn and mechanism for moving said membersin closed curvilinear paths about a common axis inclined at an angle ofwithin about six to twelve degrees to the horizontal to husk the ears ofcorn from the stalks and to convey the husked ears longitudinally ofsaid members, said members having means thereon for additionallyfacilitating the conveyance of the ears of corn along said members.

12. In a corn picking and husking device, husking means comprising twosets of opposed members mounted to describe without rotating 0pposedangular elliptical paths, the members of each set moving about a commonaxis inclined at an angle of within about six to twelve degrees =35 tothe horizontal, the direction of movement of said members being downwardat the adjacent sides of said sets, means for driving said sets ofopposed members so as to snap and husk ears of corn from the stalks andleaves and to convey the husked ears longitudinally of said members,side members above said opposed members to prevent loss of cars of corn,and means above said members and between said side members to press earsof corn against said members for husking.

WILLIAM E. URSCHEL,

